National Haymakers' Association
Template:Short description The National Haymakers' Association was a side degree[1] of the Improved Order of Red Men, similar perhaps to the Shriners within Freemasonry. Meeting places were titled Haylofts. Sometimes the meeting halls of the Redmen served as Haylofts.[2] Offices had titles like "Collector of Straws" and "Guard of the Barn Door", and candidates for initiation were styled "Tramps" and were overseen by a "Boss Driver".
The side degree was founded in 1879, and had 10,000 members as late 1980. The NHA was said to have a typical fraternal oath and its initiation ritual reflected Masonic influence. The titles and terminology of the group included referring to its meeting place as a "Hayloft", its secretary as "Collector of the Straws" and treasurer as "Keeper of the Bundles". The two sentinels were the "Guard of the Hayloft" and the "Guard of the Barndoor".[3]
Origin
Template:Quote It is unknown why the founders of the appendant degree chose to model themselves after the business of haymaking. However, as forage, hay is a vital component of the world's agricultural system, especially within the United States and at the time that this order flourished. In 1912 in Texas, for example, Template:Convert of hay were harvested, yielding a total value of $3,557,000 (unadjusted).[4] 1912 is also the year that the Texas Haymakers' Association, apparently a purely agri-industry interest group, was founded. Other state haymaker commercial groups existed at various times, and the National Haymakers' Association may have derived its name as a reference to them.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
See also
References
External links
- Haymakers Phoenix Masonry Organization Article on the Haymakers
- ↑ Ritual of the Haymakers Degree of the Improved Order of Red Men. National Haymakers. Berger Brothers Printers. Philadelphia PA. 1901
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Schmidt, Alvin J. Fraternal Organizations Westport, CT; Greenwood Press p.154
- ↑ Hay Culture